Unexpectedly, a German individual has entered the scene.
Thomas Tuchel will soon lead the English national football team to a major tournament victory, a German. Despite his qualifications, not everyone on the island is thrilled with his appointment. Some believe that Tuchel's German heritage is to blame for their distrust, especially given the history between the two countries since 1966.
Tuchel acknowledged that he had noticed the cool reception he received upon being named the English team's coach, despite having no control over his nationality. The "Daily Mail" was particularly critical, suggesting that England did not need a foreigner but a "patriot." Gareth Southgate, the previous English coach, faced similar criticism for leading his team to a series of underwhelming performances despite having English roots.
Sir Alex Ferguson, a highly respected coach from the UK, is the only recent exception to the trend of English coaches failing to deliver on their promises. Tuchel hopes to follow in Ferguson's footsteps and earn the trust of the English fans by proving his worth on the pitch.
England's curse began after the 1966 World Cup, when they suffered a devastating defeat to Germany in the final. Since then, the two teams have met in numerous major tournaments, with Germany often emerging victorious. England's most recent loss to Germany came in the 2020 European Championship, when they were unable to overcome Spain in the final.
The curse has been particularly notable in close games, where England has often come up just short. In the 2006 World Cup, England's "golden generation" led by players like David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne Rooney, were eliminated by Germany in a penalty shootout. It was Cristiano Ronaldo, then playing for Portugal, who scored the decisive penalty to send England home.
England's curse has continued through subsequent tournaments, with losses to Germany in the World Cup quarterfinals in 1970 and the Euro semi-finals in 1996 and 2000. In each case, England had a strong team and a promising future, only to be undone by Germany at the worst possible moment.
Gareth Southgate, the current English coach, has faced criticism for his failure to break England's losing streak against Germany. The 2018 World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals, was seen as a missed opportunity to finally put the curse to rest.
Tuchel, as the new coach, will have the difficult task of living up to the expectations of the English fans and breaking the curse that has haunted the team for over 50 years. With the support of his players and the English fans, he may finally be able to lead the team to the major tournament victory they have been seeking for decades.
In the 1990 World Cup semi-finals, England faced Germany at the legendary Turin stadium, Delle Alpi. Germany took the lead through Andreas Brehme, but England fought back through Gary Lineker to force extra time. In the shootout, Stuart Pearce missed his penalty, giving Germany the victory. England faced Germany again in the Euro semi-finals in 1996, but this time it was Southgate who missed his penalty, securing Germany's victory. Four years later, England suffered another heartbreaking defeat at Wembley, this time in the Euro 2000 semi-finals. In a penalty shootout, Chris Waddle hit the bar, and Germany emerged victorious again.
The 2000 defeat was particularly painful for the English fans, as it came in the final match at the old Wembley Stadium. Dietmar Hamann scored the winning goal for Germany with a trademark long-range effort that left the English fans devastated. The English press was quick to blame Germany for the defeat, with the "Independent on Sunday" calling them "bloody Germans."
Gareth Southgate's failure to break England's losing streak against Germany has been a source of frustration for the English fans. The recent defeats have fueled the belief that England is cursed against Germany in major tournaments, and that no English coach can break the spell.
As the new coach, Tuchel faces a difficult challenge. He will have to earn the trust of the English fans and find a way to break the curse that has haunted the team for decades. With his experience and credentials, he may be the man to finally guide England to a major tournament victory. Only time will tell if Tuchel can turn the tide and end England's losing streak against Germany.
Back to Southgate, back to the drama. It recurred in 2021 at the continental Corona-Euro. However, let's rewind to 2010 first: The angry Germans, four years later world champions, ousted England in the World Cup round of 16 in the South African Vuvuzela chaos with a 4:1. Fast forward to 2021: Once more, it was Wembley, once more, madness. England made it to the final, this time Germany (yet again, under the curse!) was defeated in the round of 16, and it was Thomas Müller who missed a crucial chance. In the final, Italy stood as the opponent. As expected, it was another nail-biting duel. Southgate, now the coach, substituted two young shooters in the last minute of extra time. He believed in their capabilities.
Unfortunately, things went south. Marcus Rashford hit the post and Jadon Sancho failed against Italy's super-keeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma. Racist attacks followed against the young footballers. A surprising turn of events. The tormented Southgate transformed two failures into a lesson. England should never fall short in a duel from the spot again. His strategy paid off. In the summer of 2024, in Düsseldorf, the Lions triumphed over the robust Swiss in the quarter-finals. But no title was won. Southgate stepped down after a few days of contemplation, and Lee Carsley took over as the interim coach. His time didn't bring luck either. The team faltered against Greece in the Nations League. Carsley himself yearned for a "world-class coach" for the Three Lions. They seem to have found him now, with Tuchel.
The 51-year-old is expected to successfully complete an 18-month endurance program, culminating in the World Cup title in 2026. "The aim for the next 18 months is nothing less than the peak of world football," said the new team manager at his introduction: "Everyone can rest assured of that - regardless of the nationality on my passport." The catch: Even the German national team, currently struggling under coach Julian Nagelsmann, has declared the same goal. Oh dear.
Tuchel recognized the historical tension between England and Germany, acknowledging the impact of his German heritage on some English fans' perceptions. Despite this, he remained determined to earn their trust and guide England to a major tournament victory.
England's adversity against Germany in major tournaments is a well-documented history, including the heartbreaking loss in the 2000 Euro semi-finals at Wembley, a match that further cemented the belief in England's curse against their German opponents.
